Youth Assessment Center and RPC

The DWS Morning show had Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen's comments on the Regional Planning Commission and the Youth Assessment Center move. Feinen pointed out that she is a member of the RPC as one of the City of Champaign appointees. She says the YAC is moving to a "bigger, more appropriate space." Johnathan Westfield a former police officer is the director now. Direct jump to that portion here.

In the full interview topics included the reason for the Bradley bridge renovations and the IDOT issues delaying the Kirby renovations. Full interview here. 

Candidate Information

With the primary election less than two weeks away and more early voting locations opening this upcoming Tuesday, I thought I'd put together a post that has links to all of the candidate information here and elsewhere in one place.


County Offices Races:

County Executive: (uncontested in the primary).

Other County Offices: Main page with all of them (direct office links below)

Auditor: (uncontested in the primary)

Sheriff: Republican Primary

Treasurer: (uncontested in the primary)

County Clerk: Republican Primary


County Board:

District 1: (both uncontested)

District 2:  (uncontested)

District 3: (uncontested)

District 4: (uncontested)

District 5: (uncontested in primary)

District 6: Democratic Primary

District 7: (uncontested)

District 8: (uncontested)

District 9: (uncontested in primary)

District 10: Democratic Primary

District 11: (uncontested)


Other Race information that can be found on the Cheat Sheet (non-exhaustive), see Champaign County Voter Alliance's Candidate Guide for more complete candidate information.

State House District Races:

101st: Republican Primary: News-Gazette Questionnaires and CCVA Questionnaires.

104th:  Democratic Primary: News-Gazette Questionnaires, CCVA Questionnaires, and League of Women Voters Candidate Forum.

State Senate Race:

51st State Legislative District: Write-in candidate Benjamin Chapman (Cheat Sheet post)
Illinois Senate 51st District is also the House 101st and 102nd combined: countywide map, in-town map).

Illinois Attorney General Races:

The People's Agenda local Forum for Democratic Party candidates, Republican Party candidate forum at Chicago event, Democratic Party candidate forum at Chicago event, and CCVA Questionnaires.


U.S. House Races: Illinois Congressional Districts

13th: News-Gazette Questionnaires, CCVA Questionnaires., Illini Democrats Forum, and Bend the Arc Forum Democratic candidates, Congress and the Black Community forum (most recent).

15th: News-Gazette Questionnaires, CCVA Questionnaires, and Coles Progressives Democratic Candidate Forum.


Sixth District Judges: 

Republican Primary Judicial Candidates. Bar ratings and forum.


Democratic Party Central Committee Committeewomen Races:

13th District: Information and News Links

15th District: Information and News Links

General Voter Information: Registration, Early Voting, Vote-by-Mail, Sample Ballots on the Election page or quick links here:

Last two weeks of Primary Voting! Election day falls within Spring Break so have a plan to vote early!

• Early voting: https://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/early-voting

This week early voting is still only at the Champaign County Clerk's Office. Next Tuesday other Early Voting locations open in town and around the county going into election day. Locations in link above.

• Vote by Mail: https://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/vote-by-mail

Applications have to be sent in and received by Thursday, March 15, 2018 to get a ballot to mail in. If you plan on voting by mail apply sooner rather than later.

• Grace Period Registration: https://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/grace-period

If you still need to register to vote, the only option remaining is to use grace period registration at an early voting location or at an election day voting location. See the link above on what you'll need to register and vote when you do it.

• Voter Information Lookup and Sample Ballots: https://www.champaigncountyclerk.com/elections/voter-information

New Youth Assessment Center Spot

The News-Gazette announced the new location for the Champaign County Youth Assessment Center. A basic description (also a fact sheet here):

The Youth Assessment Center staff screen at-risk juveniles and link them and their families with the community’s support and restorative services. Law enforcement personnel typically make referrals to the Youth Assessment Center as an alternative to prosecution and to prevent further delinquent activities. Case managers consider station-adjustment charges, police officer or school official recommendations, family input, and restorative justice methods.

The News-Gazette blurb with the address:

New location for Youth Assessment Center
The county’s Youth Assessment Center has found a new home that it plans to open next month.

The center will move to 2011 Round Barn Road, C, according to Dalitso Sulamoyo, CEO of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission. That’s the former home of Tap In Leadership Academy, Sulamoyo said.

It was announced in December that the center, which diverts youth from the criminal-justice system, would leave the Unit 4-owned Randolph Street location where it’s been housed rent-free for three years.

Three years of rent will also be covered at the new location, courtesy of a $50,000 donation from Jimmy John’s founder Jimmy John Liautaud. The plan is to open on April 1, Sulamoyo said.

The full article also talks about what may become of the previous site.

More information on the donation from a previous post:

A program designed to keep kids out of the criminal justice system is getting a new home, thanks to a donation from a local business owner. From the WCIA news Illinois Hompage.net:

Donation provides new home for youth program

State's Attorney Julia Reitz announced Jimmy John Liautaud and his wife gave $50,000 to support the Champaign County Youth Assessment Center. It needs to find a new facility.

It was using space, rent free, from Unit 4, but district leaders say they now need that space.

Jimmy John's sandwich restaurant chain is owned by the same. The Chicago Tribune had an interview with and about him recently about his business and him no longer big game hunting after a controversy that still haunts his image to this day.. As far as PR goes, this is certainly better than the news about his chain this time last year when he was settling a labor dispute with the Attorney General.

Regardless of any speculation on his motivations this was a definite need of a local program that has had objective results, so in the end a welcome bit of philanthropy this holiday season.

Quashed Warrants Followup

Following up on the push to reduce the warrant backlog and also as a criminal justice reform win-win. The move was seen as a benefit for low income folks who'd have difficulty paying and only more so if jailed for non-payment as opposed to any danger to the community. The News-Gazette has more information on that here: Judge 'quashed' thousands of warrants. Today they have a blurb breaking down some of the data:

For the record: Quashed warrants

Keeping watch warrants for ordinance violations, some issued as long ago as 2001.

Staff writer Ben Zigterman pored over all 2,547 warrants that were set aside by the county’s presiding judge. Here’s what he found.

The most common warrants set aside were for violations for cannabis possession. Here’s how the top

10 breaks down:

1. Possession of cannabis: 436

2. Retail theft: 359

3. Prohibited possession of alcohol on public/business property: 250

4. Minors in the possession of alcohol: 126

 5. Possession of drug paraphernalia: 122

6. Specific prohibition noise: 89

7. Theft generally: 67

8. Disorderly conduct: 59

9. Trespass generally: 51

10. Fighting: 48

Full article and more data here.

Early Early Turnout

In early voting so far, the Democrats are outpacing the Republicans in pulled ballots, but it should be noted that the full early voting options don't start until next week. You can however vote early right now at the Office of the County Clerk at the Brookens Administrative Center, 1776 East Washington Street, Urbana. Other early voting locations will be opening soon. There is also still the vote by mail option. For those who missed the normal registration deadline, you can also still utilize grace period registration to register and vote. Links to sample ballots, candidate guides, and more election information on the Elections page.

Excerpt from the News-Gazette on turnout:

Early tally sees unusually high Dem turnout
Voters haven’t been rushing to the polls ahead of the March 20 primary, say election authorities in Champaign and Vermilion counties.

But the big early voting push in Champaign County is still a week away.

For now, though, those who have voted have chosen Democratic ballots over Republican ones, and that’s atypical of nonpresidential-year primary elections. Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten said that 1,892 ballots have been returned or tabulated so far and that the number of Democratic Party ballots cast so far exceeds the number of Republican ballots, 1,024 to 868...

The greater number of Democratic ballots cast so far in Champaign County varies from the county’s tradition. Four years ago, among early and absentee voters, 57 percent took Republican ballots.

And over the past three primaries in nonpresidential years, the number of Republican votes in the county has been about twice what Democrats cast.

Full article here.

Champaign Human Relations Commission

To jump directly to the Champaign Human Relations Commission meeting notes click here. Today's meeting involved a County organization presentation of the League of Women Voters and also a brief mention of the Commissions shared recommendation with the Racial Justice Task Force to the Champaign City Council to end the exemption allowing some housing discrimination.

In Champaign the City Council, and in this case the Human Relations Commission, meet at the City Building in the City Council Chambers (from google maps and city videos screen grab):

It's generally street parking at 75 cents an hour, so bring quarters or face the annoying meter website on your phone.

The City Council Chambers entrance is to the left as soon as you enter the Chester St. Entrance. Along the outside wall is a display with informational pamphlets including the protocols for public participation: "How to Address the Council." The door warns of the usual rules about no food or drink and to turn off your cell phones.

Once inside, the back table will typically have an agenda and any other materials for the audience. The projector screen for Power Point presentations is on the right side wall.

Today's meeting is a Human Relations Commission meeting: "The Human Relations Commission is responsible for the promotion of equal rights and opportunities in the City.  It is responsible for the enforcement of the City’s Human Rights Ordinance and serves as the hearing board for complaints of violation of the Ordinance that cannot be conciliated by staff.  The Commission also advises the City Council on human rights and equal opportunity issues."


Champaign Human Relations Commission Meeting: March 5th, 2018 at 5:30pm

The Meeting started promptly at 5:30pm. In attendance: Chair Young, Vice Chair Elmore, and Commissioners Bressner, Felty, and Greene, and two staff members. Absent were Commissioners C. Comer, W. Comer, Midden, and Secretary Turner.

Previous minutes were accepted and there was a report of one open discrimination case involving employment and no open cases involving policing.

There was an announcement that the Community Relations Office had buttons and other materials for March being women's history month available to the public. There was an additional announcement for the disABILITY Resource Expo on April 7th, 2018.

No Audience Participation.


Guest Speaker: Holly Wilper, President of the Champaign County League of Women Voters (LWVCC)

She covered some of the basic history of the League nationally and locally. She then discussed some of their projects such as mock elections for students with the assistance of the County Clerk and voting machines. Also candidate forums for candidates to address the issues and not each other. They already had forums for the primary (video available on their website and from the county Cheat Sheet) and will probably have forums for the general election in September or October.

She also talked about the Observer Corps project where members observe local government bodies and report back to the rest of the group about them, including how open and accessible they are. There was a court observer project that sounds like it is going through some leadership changes. They're updating a news literacy project from years ago and adapting it for the current "fake news" phenomenon to help people sort through the nonsense with a skeptical eye.

She described topical study groups on various political issues such as gun policies and immigration. She described pillars of their work being Human Resources (such as encouraging Human Relations Commissions), Natural Resources (environment and more), Local Government, and the Judicial System. The last two she described their efforts to make sure they're accessible, working for everyone, and working efficiently.

She made a point to note that the local League is for all of Champaign County, not just the City of Champaign.  If groups want to work with the league they can bring their non-partisan efforts to their attention, help with study topics and share information. Individuals can volunteer. They encourage engagement with local government, respectful discourse, and above all: voting.

Q & A:

Q. Felty: asked if their was as comporable organization for men.
A. The LWV has male members too.

Q2. Asked if they were aware of the 5th and Hill environmental issues.
A. They're aware, but Barb Specter (?) is the person to talk to.

Q3/A: They talked about communicating further about a potential redlining issue with home loan access shunting people to Decatur or Rantoul by limiting access to loans in Champaign.

Q. Greene: noted her participation in the mock elections and a now newly registered voter. Asked about bringing registration to high schools.
A. Due to the strict registration age limits in Illinois it's messy. Apparently some states allow younger future voters to at least register for the future.

Q. Elmore: How is the Champaign HRC doing, given that they observe and try to improve such commissions.
A. She noted that it was good that it was active. Some HRCs exist to just check off a box so cities can say they have one and look like they're doing something. Some HRCs bicker as opposed to Champaign's which appears to believe in the mission.

Q2. Are their LWV City Council observers?
A. Yes, for both Champaign and Urbana. There are roughly 12-14 government bodies and they have observers in nearly all, but not all.

Q. Chair Young: Membership information and how to join?
A. She explained the dues. They have 89 dues paying members who not only participate but also have voting rights. They're trying to improve their diversity. A discussion ensued about recruitment and outreach opportunities to help with diversity.

Q. Felty again: brought up their recommendation (also a Racial Justice Task Force recommendation — Felty was on the task force) to end the housing discrimination exemption for convicted felons for 5 years in Champaign.
A. It could be part of the League's criminal justice portfolio. Asked for a write up with a description for their members. Could write letters to the editor and other actions. That is "right up our wheel house."

Guest Speaker thanked for her time.


Back to Agenda:

Committee Reports: there was going to be an update on a video by Comer (which?) but absent. There was nothing in old or new business and no further audience participation.

Comments: Greene noted Centennial High School was having an after school event open to the public on March 14th at 3:45pm at the school track on gun violence. There are going to be guest speakers on the issue.

Felty gave an update on the Mennonite screening of the "Racial Taboo" film that 150 local residents attended and split into 14 discussion groups afterward to consider. Next Sunday at 4:30pm there will be followup discussions also at the Mennonite church.

Adjourned at 6:04pm

Rural Rail and Stop Signs

A couple rural County issues were in the headlines today. The first environmental in the courts and the second to do with rural intersections and stop signs (after a recent tragedy):

Rail company to pay for fuel spill
Union Pacific has been ordered to pay nearly $80,000 over a 2015 fuel spill near Sidney.

Champaign County Judge Michael Jones signed off on a consent order, which ends a lawsuit brought against the railroad company by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The order states that the railroad company must pay a flat fine of $70,000, plus about another $18,000, to reimburse the state for its expenses related to the cleanup.

In May 2015, a Union Pacific train spilled 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel about one mile south of Sidney. The fuel flowed into the Salt Fork River, according to Madigan’s lawsuit.

The bit on rural intersection stop-signs was from the County Board chairman in the Letters to the Editor highlight box:

Stop signs good response to accidents
In response to the Feb. 25 letter from Ellen Nuss, the Champaign County Board, of which I am the chair, has discussed the problem of vehicular crashes at rural intersections for some time. These discussions included the desire to reduce the number of crashes.

The installation of stop signs has historically significantly reduced the number of crashes at intersections that lack signage indicating the right of way. Stop signs give a clear indication of the right of way at intersections.

Recently, the county received a Highway Safety Improvement Program grant from the Federal Highway Administration through the Illinois Department of Transportation to install two-way stop sign control at all of the rural intersections within Champaign County. The installation of the stop signs should be initiated this summer.

As far as a “mandate,” the board has mandated that the highway department spend the funding for what it is supposed to used for — in this case, the installation of stop signs for increasing safety.

County taxes are being used to pay for 10 percent of this $336,000 project.

The local match, plus the prorated federal taxes that Champaign County citizens pay for this project, amount to a little over 16 cents per county citizen — a very small cost to increase the safety of rural drivers. C. PIUS WEIBEL Chairman, Champaign County Board

Saving Local Kids from Bleeding Out

Following up on yesterday's post on Arming Teachers Locally, today the N-G highlighted some active shooter programs that had already been in the works before the Parkland massacre:

In continuing coverage of how our community has been preparing for active shooters and training school staff to stop catastrophic blood loss in our children when it occurs — because that's a thing we do now — the News-Gazette lays out the Stop the Bleed Campaign as part of their active shooter protocols:

Critical Care: Over 1,200 school workers learn how to stop the bleed
Even before the latest school shooting tragedy last month in Florida, some local school staffs had begun arming themselves with training they hope they never have to use — how to stop life-threatening bleeding.

Instruction under a national campaign called Stop the Bleed has been under way for East Central Illinois schools since the start of last year.

While some schools have also undergone ALICE active shooter response training, Stop the Bleed teaches a medical response that bystanders can use to save lives in the critical first minutes after a trauma injury that causes bleeding.

Carle Foundation Hospital’s trauma department is offering Stop the Bleed training to schools in a 21-county area of East Central Illinois, with a hope that those they teach will pass on what they learn to other school district employees and students.

Carle chose to start the training with schools because schools have been a top target in active shooter episodes, according to Dr. Henry Moore, Carle trauma services medical director and chairman of a trauma committee covering the multi-county region...

White recalled learning at her training how to do a quick assessment of a bleeding victim and distinguish whether bleeding is coming from a vein or artery. Arterial bleeds are more critical, and people with these wounds should be stabilized first, she said.

This instruction also drove home the importance of people on the front line of a tragedy being prepared to know what to do before the ambulance arrives, White said.

“A person can bleed out within five minutes,” she said.

School nurses in Champaign and Urbana school districts have also undergone this training. Unit 4 schools spokeswoman Emily Schmit said Stop the Bleed kits have been received by all Champaign schools, and there’s a desire to share the training the district’s lead nurse administrator, Margee Poole, received with other school staff, Schmit said.

ALICE has an "age appropriate" book, and probably not the best pictures on its blog to ease concerns.

More on ALICE here.

More on the Stop the Bleed Campaign as part of the Hartford Consensus active shooter recommendations after Sandy Hook here.

Arming Teachers Locally

In a troubling sign of the times, the News-Gazette interviewed local teachers and their opinions on plans to encourage and support armed teachers to deter and/or kill armed mass shooters:

Teachers: Arming us would spell nothing but trouble
...
 To get a sense of where local educators stand on the issue, The News-Gazette surveyed 70 of them, representing 46 different schools — public and private, rural and urban, elementary through high school, based in seven area counties. (Nearly three dozen other teachers and principals declined to go on record with their stance, most of them citing the sensitivity of the topic as the reason).

Opinions are those of the educators and not the schools that employ them.

What we found: — 57 of the 70 were adamantly opposed to any plan that involves teachers having guns.

— Five said they strongly support the idea.

— Three backed a version that doesn’t include every teacher being armed.

— Two said they wouldn’t object if it came to that, two others would prefer that taxpayers or state legislators make the decision, and one was in the undecided camp.

All agreed on one point, expressed by Oakwood Grade School teacher Lacey Boen: “I am saddened by what our society now has to face.”

Here, in area teachers’ own words, are why more than 80 percent of them believe there must be a better alternative.

There was a second piece with several more interviews with teachers thoughts on the subject here.

The Week Ahead 3/4 - 3/10

REMINDER: Voting has begun! Early voting and Vote-by-Mail has started for the March 20th, 2018 Primary! We're within 28 days of the election so if you still need to register to vote, your options are on-line (last day March 4th) and Grace Period Registration. Grace Period Registration is available at early and regular polling locations. More information here. Sample ballots are available here. 

Other Events:

Champaign and Urbana Local Government March Meetings.

County Executive Candidate Town Halls: Last event from the N-G article

Darlene Kloeppel has a few this week:

Gordy Hulten doesn't have any more town halls listed. For other events see his facebook page.

Groups that crossover with Racial Justice Task Force recommendations meeting this week:

Champaign Human Relations Commission March 5th at 5:30pm in the Council Chambers of the City Building, 102 N Neil Street. [UPDATE: Meeting Notes]

There's no Build Programs Not Jails meeting this week. They are on new schedule of every other Wednesday which currently lands on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the Month with the next meeting on March 14th.

There are candidate events happening for races up and down the Democratic and Republican ballot, so get your sample ballot, read about and meet the candidates. e.g. there's a forum for IL-13 congressional candidates tomorrow, Sunday March 4th (Purim themed town hall) this week! The People's Agenda is hosting a "get out the vote" event beforehand. There will also be a live streamed State Attorney General forum March 7th (more info and links here). The News-Gazette has interview podcasts on their website. Candidate websites and social media links at the CCVA Candidate Guide is a good place to start looking at candidates.

Make a plan to vote. Election day itself falls within Spring Break if you're going to be out of town. Early voting and Vote-by-Mail have begun.


County Calendar:

The week starts out with the County Executive Transition Committee Monday to make new Board rules and pave the way for the new County Executive form of government.
The Facilities and Environment & Land Use Committee meetings are both streamed live (link below) if you want to see what that's all about. You can also get a pretty good idea from their respective previous agenda packets that Facilities deals with maintaining the County's facilities throughout and the Environment & Land Use deals with environmental issues and how land is used within the County's jurisdiction.

The Highway & Transportation Committee meets at the Highway Building and oversees the Highway Department which "bears responsibility for preparing plans, specifications and estimates for County bridges and culverts and supervising construction of same. The Department also supervises the construction and maintenance of all Champaign County highways. In addition, the Department keeps records of contracts, purchases of materials, machinery, etc. and administers the County Motor Fuel Fund, County Bridge Fund, State & Local Bridge Fund and Township Motor Fuel Tax Fund."

The 2018 schedule is up on the Calendar page and the County page. The regular County Board meetings are back to Thursdays until next holiday season.

If you're curious about learning more about how your county government works, it's easy enough to live stream a meeting or go in person: Attend a Meeting.

*Meeting is broadcast live on Comcast Public Access and at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/champco1776

Where is Brookens?

Brookens Administrative Center
1776 East Washington Street
Urbana, Illinois 61802-4581
Phone: 217-384-3772

After 4:30 the Washington Street side Parking Lot is Closed See Maps for the North East Parking Lot Access

More Coal Ash News

If you've been following the toxic coal ash ooze into the Vermilion River here, this national news may affect the clean up or future dumping. From The Hill:

New EPA rule gives states power to determine coal ash disposal
The Trump administration announced a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule Thursday aimed at giving states the independence to determine how to best dispose of coal ash, the toxic metal left from burning coal.

The EPA said that the deregulations would save utilities nearly $100 million per year in compliance costs and the regulated community between $31 million and $100 million per year.

“Today’s coal ash proposal embodies EPA’s commitment to our state partners by providing them with the ability to incorporate flexibilities into their coal ash permit programs based on the needs of their states,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said in a statement.

“We are also providing clarification and an opportunity for public comment – something that is much-needed following the public reaction to the 2015 coal ash rule.”
...
The move is a sharp departure from the Obama administration, which sought to better regulate disposal of the toxic metal.

In 2015, following a number of coal ash leaks that led to severely clogged waterways, the Obama administration proposed regulations that would increase inspections and monitoring as well as impose new requirements for storage liners. They would have also required companies to conduct water quality tests.

The rule met significant opposition from utility industry groups and were never implemented. Litigation against the regulations remains pending.

It's an issue that hits close to home. More on the Vermilion coal ash issue at this earlier Cheat Sheet post. From a recent Chicago Tribune article:

Before Dynegy closed the plant in 2011, the two companies deposited more than 3.3 million cubic yards of coal ash into pits next to the river — enough to fill the Empire State Building nearly 2½ times. Testing by Dynegy and the Prairie Rivers Network shows the multicolored waste oozing into the water contains dangerous levels of heavy metals found in coal ash, including arsenic, chromium, iron, lead and manganese.

“This toxic waste needs to be cleaned up,” said Andrew Rehn, water resources engineer for the network, based in Champaign. “We want to make sure that Dynegy can’t just walk away from its responsibility. We all have a right to a clean Vermilion River.”

So if you hate toxic waste about as much as you hate insane unexpected costs to tax payers. This is one story to follow.

One Solitary Minimum Nursing Home Bid

This doesn't bode well. About the best anyone could say is it was better than no bids at all. Nursing Home gets a single minimum bid... from the N-G today:

Champaign County Nursing Home: Sole bid is for the minimum
"Champaign County received only one proposal Wednesday in response to its request for proposals to buy the Champaign County Nursing Home.

"The proposal was submitted jointly by Extended Care Clinical LLC and Altitude Health Services Inc., both headquartered in Evanston.

"The proposed purchase price is $11 million — the minimum set by the county board in its request — and the proposal included a certified check for $250,000 payable to Champaign County as an earnest money deposit."

So what's next?

The committee appointed to evaluate proposals for the purchase of the nursing home will meet March 12 to begin reviewing the Extended Care/ Altitude proposal.

A timeline set earlier said that a qualified bidder could be selected by May 15 and that the county board could approve a purchase agreement by May 24, although both dates are subject to revision by the county board... Any sale would require at least 15 votes by the 22-member board.

Citizens Police Academy Info

A brief description and contact information from the News-Gazette today:

Citizens Police Academy: 32nd session gets underway April 19

County residents interested in learning how local law enforcement works are invited to participate in the Champaign County Citizen Police Academy.

The academy meets Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. for 10 weeks beginning April 19. Topics covered include crime prevention, community-based policing, drugs, gangs, driving under the influence enforcement, citizenpolice contacts, use of force, firearms orientation, crime scene investigation, a tour of the Champaign County Jail and a patrol ride-along with your local department.

Contact information for your various police agencies where you may live:

• University of Illinois: Lt. Joan Fiesta, jmfiesta@illinois. edu, 217-333-1216.

• Champaign: LaEisha Meaderds, LaEisha.Meaderds@champaignil.gov, 217-403-6987.

• Urbana: Cassie Heldman, heldmacl@urbanaillinois.us, 217-384-2334.

• Rantoul: Alex Meyer (ameyer@village.rantoul.il.us), Chief Tony Brown (tbrown@village.rantoul.il.us) or Kathy Kohl (kkohl@village.rantoul.il.us), all at 217-893-0989.

• Champaign County Sheriff’s Office: Teresa Schleinz, tschleinz@co.champaign.il.us, 217-384-1205.

• Parkland College: William Colbrook, wcolbrook@parkland. edu. 217-351-2369.

• Mahomet: Chief Mike Metzler, mmetzler@police. mahomet-il.gov, 217-586-5533.

• PTI: Meg Hedrick, mjhedric@illinois.edu, 217-333-7788.